🏅 The top 3 newsletter sponsorship formats to use going into 2025

For the last 30+ years, newsletter publishers monetized their newsletters using display ads (aka banner ads) inside their newsletters.

But times have changed.

Several years ago, publishers like the Morning Brew, the Skimm, and The Hustle introduced a new long-form native sponsorship ad format…

With the 3 most utilized being:

• Title sponsor

• Secondary sponsor

• List sponsor

These formats are powerful because they integrate long-form content directly into your newsletter…

With collaboratively written copy that captures a reader’s attention in ways banner ads never could.

Here’s a quick deep dive on how to use these popular newsletter sponsorship formats in 2024 and beyond 👇

For Newsletter Publishers 📧

To maximize your sponsorship revenue, here are the three key formats to offer (from highest to lowest price point):

1. Title Sponsorships

Let’s start with an example from the Morning Brew:

This premium placement includes:

• “Presented by [Brand]” at the top

• The first sponsored content position

• This usually includes an image, headline, body copy, and CTA

Why it works: It's impossible to miss, making it perfect for sponsors wanting maximum visibility.

Plus, by integrating long-form ad content into your long-form newsletter content, it slides in under the radar…

Without immediately triggering someone’s brain that this is an ad and should be ignored.

2. Secondary Sponsorships

Located further down in your newsletter, these typically include:

• “Together with [Brand]” callout

• Image placement

• Shorter body copy

• Clear CTA

3. List Sponsorships

Perfect for testing new sponsors, these native integrations:

• Blend seamlessly with your content

• Much shorter ad copy

• Can be marked with a simple asterisk or “sponsored” note

• Work well with a CPC pricing model (since they're further down)

The Morning Brew drops several of these ads in their daily “To-Do List”:

For Brands 🎯

Each sponsorship format serves different marketing objectives.

Title Sponsorships:

As the premium offering, these give you the highest visibility and brand awareness possible in a newsletter.

They're perfect when you want to make a big splash, like during a major product launch or when you need space to tell a comprehensive brand story.

Secondary Sponsorships:

Want to test the waters without committing to a title sponsorship?

Secondary placements offer strong visibility at a more budget-friendly price point.

They're especially effective for testing new audiences while maintaining solid conversion potential.

List Sponsorships:

List sponsorships are the most cost-effective entry point for testing newsletter sponsorships.

With potential pay-for-performance models and shorter copy requirements, they're ideal for testing specific offers or promotions without a major upfront investment.

The key to success with these 3 formats?

Work with publishers to craft native content that matches their newsletter's voice.

Your ad should feel like a natural part of the reading experience, not an interruption.

The days of simple banner ads are behind us.

Today's newsletter sponsorships offer deeper engagement and better performance.

At Wellput, we help publishers and brands navigate these new sponsor formats.

We'll match you with the perfect partners, handle intros and negotiations, setting you up for sponsorships that drive real results.

Need help finding the right sponsorships for your goals?

Try Wellput risk-free, here.